Blu-ray players are incompatible

BLU-RAY DISCS of 100GB or 200GB are incompatible with available players, according to The Blu-ray Disc Association.

So although producers like Sharp or TDK have announced multi-layer high-capacity media that can store hundreds of gigabytes of data, users will be unable to play them. This is because current players cannot handle more than 50GB.

"Player manufacturers design players to meet published specifications that define maximum media capacity, which in the case of Blu-ray Disc, is 50GB on two-layer media," said Andy Parsons, SVP of corporate communications and new product planning for Pioneer and the chairman of BDA's promotion committee in the US, in an interview with Home Media Magazine.

"I think there will be applications for larger capacity recordable discs, but it would be difficult for [discs larger than 50GB] to achieve compatibility with the installed base of players," he said.

Parsons suggested the higher-capacity Blu-ray discs from companies such as Sharp and TDK should remain in the recordable media realm.

He said future Blu-ray players could support higher capacity Blu-ray discs, "much as how tape formats such as VHS gradually added higher recording capacities that were playback-incompatible with older decks." µ